the morning face challenge

Update: Those who have taken the morning face challenge so far: Mary, Shanna, Claudia Mair, Deb,  Katy, Melly.  You all are so gorgeous! Any others willing to bare those cheeks (on your face! sheesh!) to the world?

5/7: Shauna, Paula, Rachelle, Sherri, Michelle.

5/8: Jeanne, Robin, Carrie. Bunny Trails,

5/11: Alana.

Steve's wonderful male take on the morning face challenge. In his post, In the Land of Women, he writes, "There is a rare beauty in the makeupless face. It is a face of truth. Of honesty and vulnerability and intimacy. It is the face God sees."

Original post:

Are you brave enough to post your face without makeup?  Will you take the morning face challenge?  The internet is a place of smoke and mirrors. We can put forward anything we want, any face, any history, any tales of gore and glory.

Women as they reach middle age mourn what once was and what will never be again. Some of us will never be rolled into an operating room or have a hypodermic needle stuck into our face, shooting in a form of bochilism that will paralyze our muscles to a more youthful glow. Botox anyone?

A while ago, the ragamuffin diva and I were chatting on the phone. She said, "I pray for the grace to age gracefully, and let the young women have their day."  What a beautiful outlook.  A long time ago, another great blogger, Katy at fallible.com told me, "I just want to look pleasant."

Will you take the challenge?  Will you post who you really are? Without embellishment, as the morning sun, or the alarm, or a husband or a child sees you when you first open your eyes to meet the day? And if not, ask yourself why not? If you will, will you spread the word on your own blog so that other women will have the confidence to let the young women receive their glory as we grow in wisdom. Let me know if you choose to take the morning face challenge.  Here goes.  This is me. Almost 43. Barefaced with crazy hair. Who else will join me?

Comments

[christa]

Since I don't have a digital camera, just add eleven years, hair with reddish highlights, and glasses more square and brownish to your photo. Somewhere I remember reading that Sally Fields and Jane Fonda pledged to one another to grow old sans plastic. I'm all over that kind of promise.

[relevantgirl]

OK, Lisa Girl. BTW, you look mahhvelous. Julia took my picture, so it's a bit uncentered (which actually describes how I am in the morning). The whole scary world can view my forty-year-old face at http://www.relevantblog.blogspot.com.

Enjoy! Ha!

OK, now I'm scared.

That song "You're so vain" is running around in my head, though I don't gavotte or own an ascot or a lear jet.

I'll stop now.

[Claudia Mair]

You know, I may have gotten away with ignoring this IF YOU HADN'T HAVE MENTIONED ME!!!!!!!

Okay. I did it. It wasn't so bad. God knows I've revealed worse.

[shanna]

Me, too.

Actually I have met the challenge, and I'm raising you one.

Thanks. Had fun with this!

[shanna]

ps--I think you look great in the morning, lisa!

[Deborah Raney]

Okay. You guys have inspired me. I'll play. But look quick...this is up for a limited time only - until I come to my senses. ; )
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/224/485528565_e699c375a0.jpg

But you know, once I hit 50 I got instantly less vain. Now I tend to think, "Hey, I'm 50; I'm allowed...to have wrinkles, shadows, age spots, flat hair...whatever." I am, however, glad that Cover Girl's Everlast 8-hour lipstick tends to last overnight.

[lisa]

Deb, you look GREAT! I'm gettin' me some of that lipstick! I can't believe you're over fifty.

Mary, Claudia, Shanna. Mmm. Mmm.

I think there's a special kind of beauty to a woman without makeup and this just proves it.

We tend to cover up whatever glow we've got less when we put on the makeup. (Which, yes, I still put on anyway despite all that.)

[Katy McKenna]

I got my pic posted, too, Lisa. It's a nighttime pic, sans make-up. Nearly as revealing as morning, I can testify! :) I am the oldest girl here, I believe. 53.5, but who's counting?

[MizMelly]

I've posted Lisa. A great challenge. It came to me through RelevantGirl. Thanks for the inspiration

[Tom Davis]

Just a little comment on this note. 50 Billion dollars would alleviate extreme world poverty. Guess how much women spent on make-up last year? 80 Billion!

[Shauna]

Here is my morning photo. Pre-coffee even.

[Paula]

Took your challenge, Lisa. Come and check it out. You made me think of some funny stories. My husband is in full agreement with the guy you quoted and we used to fight over it.

[Rachelle]

Very difficult, Lisa. But I did it.

[sherri]

A little late. Had a bit of vanity to deal with, but it's now posted and so far my vital signs still seem to be within acceptable limits.

[Michelle Pendergrass]

Ok, I added mine today. I'll say, it was difficult.

[Michelle Pendergrass]

You're too sweet. I always look at your pictures and admire your smile--you're always so happy in your pictures (at least the ones I've seen) :)

And yes, I have a pond, as a matter of fact the woods behind the house are flooded. Its not really a nice pond, but I like water, so its pretty to me. And yes, I'm in Indiana--north central. I'm about 5-5.5 hours from Lexington. Close enough to drive for visits! :)

[Jeanne Damoff]

Okay. I'm in.

http://jeannepictureplace.blogspot.com/

[Robin]

I tried to post to you earlier Lisa; thanks for popping over to my blog. I'm finding it v.e.r.y. interesting how "we're" all responding to this. We hate it...but somehow posting "naked" pictures is liberating.

Not the best of time for me to be posting a comment, but I'm glad you initiated this meme...It's great to "meetcha" and I'll be back to read more as time permits.

Blessings beautiful one :).

[Dianne]

Aha! The infamous originator of this crazy challenge! Since I already HAD such pictures, it wasn't quite so tough. God definitely shared His sense of humor with me when He gave me my hair! Hubby & I laugh at it - often!

Thanks! This has been fun! :D

[Tiggerlane]

I actually did this today, and it's all Robin's fault! She looked so pretty in her morning face photo - I thought I could do the same.

Sadly, no one may ever read my blog again.

[Margi]

I did it - everyone else looked so good - so healthy. I have one from a year ago and one a friend (?!) sent me last week.
http://mending-of-life.blogspot.com/2007/05/morning-face-challenge.html

[Heather Diane Tipton]

okay, I rarely wear makeup to begin with so this isn't much of a challenge for me... except the whole I hate having my picture taken thing. (all though you should check out the pic in my profile on my blog. LOL I kinda like that one...and it has no makeup!)

I have several people in my life that insist that I need to wear makeup... that I can't get a decent job without it. I'm of the opinion they're dang lucky if I wear mascara and lipstick. LOL

[Heather Diane Tipton]

oh... forgot to say I think you look great!

[Sheri]

Just found you, but I played along too!

[Elysa Mac]

Lisa, you bad thing you, your blog challenge has spread and it now at my beloved Five in a Row boards. I said "no" as long as I could, but since I AM the girl who sang "I'm just a girl who can't so NO" in my highschool's Junior Miss program, I finally caved. I didn't post the naked photo at my blog, but I did post it for my FIAR family to view.

Here's the link: http://www.fiarhq.com/~gbprnhrz/forum/showthread.php?t=10676

And here's a direct link to my not-so-real me photo because the real me LOVES makeup, hairspray, and LOTS of jingly jewelry!

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u134/elysamac/DSCN7618.jpg

Its probably a good thing I didn't know you in highschool, no telling WHAT kind of trouble you'd probably have gotten me into! LOL!